Commentary on life with a southern accent

Thursday, May 09, 2013

I was not able to watch the Benghazi hearings due to work, so I only caught a few minutes of the highlights on the network evening news. The following thoughts are my quick take on the subject based on the little bit I have read and seen about the hearings and from following the story since September 11, 2012:

As bad as the initial reaction to the attack itself was (stand down order, failure to act?), much of that could be attributed to mistake,
miscalculation, and other forms of incompetence. Maybe they didn't really know exactly what was
happening, they didn't think there was time to get help there, or they thought the risk was too great to the rescuers. I am not saying I agree with those excuses, but it could at least be argued that they made
bad decisions that cost lives, not that they intentionally wanted people to die.

The coverup, however, was so calculated and deliberate, that it troubles me the most. Those engaging in the coverup (including the "blame the video" assertion) disrespected the memory of those killed, assumed (correctly) the complicity of
the American media and said with each preposterous lie, that the
American people are dupes. While much of what was done before the
deaths could be attributed to negligence or poor judgment, that done afterward -- the coverup -- appears to have been done with political
calculation above all.